Rubber-dam holder.



No. 628,923. Patemed July la, |399.

J. P. CARMICHAEL. Russen DAM HnLnEn.

(Application filed Dec. 13, 1895.)

(No Model.)

WITN ESSES: INVENTOR:

ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. OARMIOHAEL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THEPENNSYLVANIA.

RUBBER-DAM HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,923, dated July 18,1899.

Application filed December 13, 1895. Serial No. 572,070. (No model.) d iTo @ZZ whom t may concern.-

v Be it known that I, JOHN P. CARMICHAEL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, State of Visconsin,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rubber-DamHolders; and I declare the following to be a full, clear,

'and'exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to rubber-dam holders for the useA of dentists; andmy object is to provide an improved holder of this character which issimple in construction and efficient in use. i

My invention consists of certain improvements, which will be fullydescribed herein and then specifically pointed out in the claim at theend of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents the head of a patientwith a rubber dam adjusted and held in place thereon by means of my4improved holder. Fig. 2 is a plan View showing a sheet of rubber damwith my improved holder secured thereto, one end of the rubber dam beingbroken away to better illustrate the holder. Fig. 3 is a detail View ofone of the clasps or clamps used in connection with my improved holder.

The holder consists of two iiat and thin plates lA A, counterparts ofeach other and preferably concaved on their inner edges, as shown at a.Secured at or near the outer end of each of the two arms or members A ofeach holder-plate is a clasp or clamp for engaging the rubber dam. cThese clasps or clamps are each shown as consisting of aspringballmember l, secured directly to the holder-plate, as by a rivet, and asocket memberB, the members constituting the claspsbeing similar to thewell-known glove-fastener. The socket member B of each clasp is securedto one end of a bent or bowed flexible strip O, which is fastened at itsopposite end to the holder-` plate by means of the shank or rivet of theball member B of the clasp.

O. `The clasps BB' are of course made of' metal, as usual.

In operation a sheet of rubber dam E is adj usted upon atooth in themouth of a patient,

as will readily be'understood by dentists, and the four loose corners ofthe sheet are placed between and clamped by the engaging members of therespective clasps of` the holder. The two clasps on one holder-plateengage one side of thev d am, while the clasps olf the otherholder-plate engage the opposite side of the dam. The elastic bandpasses around the back of the patients head and may be drawn tight toproperly adjust the holder-plates for supporting the dam in properposition by pulling its opposite ends through the slots of said plates,the tongues A3 serving to prevent the band from slipping.

It will be seen that a rubber-damholder constructed according to myinvention has four points of attachment to the rubber dam and that thelocation or disposition of these points of attachment is such as to holdthe dam in the most convenient and proper position. The holder may bevery readily applied and removed, the particular clasps being easily`made to engage and disengage the dam as desired. When the holderisproperly adjusted, the dam is securely held without any danger ofslipping'.

Obviously the members of the clasps or clamps may be reversed, ifdesired-that is to say, the socket member B may be secured directly tothe holder-plate and the ball mem ber B secured to the flexiblestrip C.

I claim as my invention- A dentists rubber-dam holder consisting of twoflat holder-plates each havingtwo arms or members upon the outer ends ofwhich are secured clasps, each of said clasps consisting band is passed,substantially as and vfor the' of twofengaging members, one of Vwhich issepurpose described. 10 v curedl directly to the holder-plate and the Intestimony whereof I sign this specificaother ofwhich is secured to oneend of a bent tion in the presence of two witnesses.

5 flexible strip, the other end of saidy strip be- JOHN P. CARMICHAEL.

ing fastened to the holder-plate, each of said Witnesses:

`hold'er-pizvtes being provided lWith a slotted E. W STOUT,

extension through which a connecting elastic JOHN E. VL-Es--

